The document discusses efforts at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to embed 21st century literacies into teaching and learning. Key points: 1. UWC's leadership facilitates developing skills like critical thinking and research abilities in graduates. 2. The library works with stakeholders to enhance literacies and equip students for lifelong learning through initiatives like workshops, an information literacy module, and collaborating with faculty on assignments. 3. Activities included training librarians and lecturers on ACRL's Framework for Information Literacy, designing lessons around framework concepts, and providing an online space for collaborating on assignment redesign.

1. EMBEDDING 21ST CENTURY LITERACIES
IN TEACHING AND LEARNING AT UWC
Shehaamah Mohamed
Senior Librarian: Information
Literacy
University of theWestern
Cape (UWC)

2.  Leadership for the enhancement of graduate attributes and literacies across the
university is facilitated by the University’s Executive structure such as the
Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) Academic and the Directorate for Teaching
and Learning.
 The DVC Academic’s Strategic Plan for 2016-2020 embraces pedagogies that
enable graduates to acquire attributes of the 21st century graduate.
 The plan mentions the development of a framework for embedding critical
research skills for students and also requires that teaching and assessment
practices be aligned with the curriculum.
 To achieve these university objectives the Library also has a responsibility, in
collaboration with other stakeholders, to provide leadership and expertise to
develop and enhance 21st Century literacies so that students are equipped to
become lifelong learners.
CONTEXT

3. The Library Executive believes that the ideas represented in
the new ACRL (Association of Colleges and Research
Libraries) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher
Education (the Framework) should form part of learning
activities within the curriculum

4. OUR JOURNEY SO FAR…
 Workshops with lecturers
 HELIG Webinar 2015
 Workshop with librarians
 Faculty Librarians: Contributions to IL
 Teaching module for PG Dip LIS
 Towards Professionalisation of Teaching and Learning
Programme
 Online IL intervention: Google Docs

5. THE FRAMEWORK FOR INFORMATION
LITERACY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

6. Threshold
Concepts for
Information
Literacy

7.  engaging with each successive
draft of the new ACRL
Framework by running internal
workshops with the Faculty
Librarians;
 practicing to apply the
Framework in library
instruction by assigning
homework for the librarians on
the internal IL Blog
 preparing guidelines based on
the Framework to incorporate
information literacy into
Teaching and Learning at UWC
 maintaining close consultation
with the university’s Deputy
Deans forTeaching and
Learning to channel
communication to faculties and
departments
 conducting several
departmental workshops
across Faculties
1. WORKSHOPSWITH
ACADEMICS

8. 2. WEBINAR ON THE ACRL FRAMEWORK FOR
INFORMATION LITERACY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION
 Hosted on 26 February 2015
 Approximately 40 Librarians
registered
 Feedback: interest elicited from
various institutions
 UFH, UP
 Held workshop at UFH in
September 2015

9. 3a. WORKSHOP WITH
THE FACULTY LIBRARIANS
:The Gallery Walk
A month prior to the workshop, faculty
librarians were requested to design
posters for a frame that might in turn be
used as teaching aids.The groups were
given a rubric to use as a guide and
selected from different software
programmes to aid this task.

10. One hour and forty five minutes
were allocated to the GalleryWalk
activity. In pairs, teams visited each
poster and spent 10 minutes per
session to add comments and
critique to fixed questions alongside
each poster.

11. The activity ended with each
group presenting their poster
and responding to prompts such
as conceptual understanding;
artistic ability; clarity of message;
relevance of texts and images to
the Frames; Expression of frames; I
Wonder; I like….

12. 3b. Design a Lesson
This activity focussed on
instructional design. Having selected
one Frame from a hat, groups of
two were formed. Based on a
rubric, groups were asked to design
a lesson which enhances
understanding of the Frame. They
were tasked with designing 3
learning outcomes, 3 learning
activities, and to show how these
activities relate to the knowledge
practices and dispositions of the
Frame in question.

13. Presenting lesson to
the group

14. 4. Faculty Librarians :
Contributions towards
Information Literacy
 SmartSearch
Programme
 One –on – One
Coaching
 Subject –Specific
training
 PGWorkshops and
Research Clinics

15. 5. TEACHING FUTURE LIBRARIANS
TO USETHE FRAMEWORK
• PG Dip LIS class: 707 S2 2015
• Second Semester
• The aim is to review the Information Literacy
module to include the ACRL Framework for
Information Literacy
• Weekly classes
• Theory and group work
• iKamva as a collaborative communication tool

16. RESOURCES
Readings on
iKamva

17. Discussion Forum: iKamva

18. Student’s blog

19. Learning
Outcomes
Activities
Knowledge Practices
and Dispositions
Comments

20. 6. TOWARDSTHE PROFESSIONALISATION OF
TEACHING AND LEARNING PROGRAMME
 In the 2nd year after appointment, new lecturers (inexperienced and
experienced) must produce an e-portfolio of evidence to show their
teaching is in tune with scholarship of teaching and learning (ie, informed by
theories) and is aligned with UWC goals and graduate attributes. It's
mandatory as part of the probation process.
 The short course is intended to help those who would like help to meet the
requirements of the process. Lecturers may opt to pursue the course or
simply produce a portfolio that responds to the questions asked. I guess the
less experienced lecturers would choose to do the course. The course has
only be run once so far in 2015. The portfolios are assessed for
competence.

21. CURRICULUM RENEWAL AND 21ST CENTURY
LITERACIES
 Most modules profess to incorporate the graduate attributes, but may
not actively and explicitly create opportunities to extend students’
capabilities within the course activities.
 Graduate attributes are the qualities, skills and understandings a
university community agrees its students should develop during their
time with the institution.These attributes include but go beyond the
disciplinary expertise or technical knowledge that has traditionally
formed the core of most university courses
 The UWC graduate attributes broadly reference 3 ontological positions
for students. They are expected to develop
 A stance towards knowledge – a stance towards themselves - a stance
towards society

22. To be competent and capable in the 21st century requires
a different set of knowledge and skills
• Culture of technology-driven abundance and access of
information requires independent thinking, creative
thinking
• Manage, analyze, and synthesize multiple streams of
simultaneous information
• Create, critique, analyze, and evaluate multimedia texts
• Develop relationships with others and confront and
resolve problems collaboratively
How can we incorporate such 21st-century literacies
within traditional curricula?

23. 7. DESIGNING LEARNING USING
TECHNOLOGIES: AN INTERVENTIONTO
ENHANCE 21ST CENTURY LITERACIES
 Discussions, critique and
recommendations have taken place
in a face to face
environment. Informal peer review
and feedback in workshops has
been the only means of assistance
and guidance for lecturers to infuse
the Frames in their assignments and
rubrics.
 Online intervention: Google Docs
to collaborate with lecturers
 Lecturers should be able to
collaborate with me (as the IL
Librarian) by using an online
platform so that I am able to
synchronously as well as
asynchronously edit their assignments.

24. Lecturers are required to upload their
assignments, view the comments, comment on
the work of their colleagues, edit their work, re-
work and resubmit their assignments on the
Google Docs platform.

25. Faculty of
Education

26. Faculty of Education
Collaboration with lecturers:
infusing literacies in assignments

27.  )
Faculty of Economics and
Management Sciences (EMS
Faculty of Economics
and Management
Sciences (EMS)

29. THE WAY FORWARD…
 Close collaboration with and support for academic teachers
 Continual development of faculty librarians
 Closer liaison with ACRL community
 Development of adequate online resources for teachers and librarians

30. Lingering
thoughts or
questions?